New thread as old one is nearly at 10000 post limit.
Old thread
For the accent alone, can’t respect McDowell.
Fair point!
I actually think people would have far more respect for him if had of just been honest rather than coming out with the shi*e he did. McDowell joined LIV because he couldn't cut it on the PGA Tour, He was 7 years away from the Seniors Tour and Norman and Co were so desperate for recognised names they offered him a bucket load of money, if he had actually have said that he did it for the money it would have been a lot easier to accept.
Necessities doesn't mean sports washing. People have to get to work and the shops and everywhere else.
Look we are not supposed to be discussing these issues here so I'm not going into it again.
Rory is doing the right thing in my opinion. He's showing that money is less important than human rights for him and he should be applauded for that.
If I was a pro golfer I wouldn't shake hands with these guys. I'd tell the world my thoughts on it. That's how I live my life, some people don't like me because I'm that way but there's many who love it.
Eddie Pepperell said a few things about it and I give him kudos for that.
Quite interesting to see such newfound passion aroused in social causes from some who were pretty vehemently defending Newcastle's Saudi-sportwashing takeover only last October.
Soccer is full of scum, it doesn't matter in that sport. I don't think you can sports wash there. I don't think anybody ever thought much of Roman Abramovich. It's been full of bungs and brown envelopes for years upon years.
You might note that you don't see me posting in that forum anymore. You might also note that my claim was always that it's full of these sort of people. At no stage did I say anything good or positive about any of them.
Golf is a respectable sport. It's completely different.
Personally I would have thought that the most important point is re the bad things being sports-washed (not to be discussed).
As for golf as a professional sport, it has always been about money, notwithstanding all the reverentially hushed talk about the Azaleas at Amen Corner.
The Europeans who are playing golf and who in the past did play on the PGA tour for the greater money (and sponsorship deals if successful) as opposed to playing on their own tour.
People are going to LIV Golf for money.
Mr. McIroy is not really a reliable narrator here as his significant big-dollar sponsorship deals such as Nike, Taylormade etc are effectively tied to the PGA and as already said he is a made man at this point in any case.
Rory's net worth is estimated at just north of $200 million. He could triple that by going to that other tour.
He's showing that having respect for people of all types is more important to him than money.
If every PGA golfer had $200 million (plus McIlroy's sponsorship dollar recurring deals) there would be no LIV Golf to begin with
Mickelson is worth a lot (or not depending on what one would be believe about gambling etc) but he's old so only had the fogie-tour to look forward to anyway and he's Mickelson.
The net worth includes everything. That's his estimated total net worth.
Mickelson won a major last year.
The sponsorship contracts are annual into the future and future payments are not included in current net worth because if he got run down by a bus this evening he's not going to get Nike's next years sponsorship payment.
Mickelson indeed did win the PGA last year as everyone knows but has been absolutely woeful since either on LIV or the PGA with one Top 20 in 20 tournaments played since (and that Top 20 itself was over a year ago)
Phil doesn’t need to play well, he just needs to play.
Mickelson's supposedly worth $400 million. McIlroy is more like $130 million. (According to recent publications anyway). LIV wouldn't have happened if Mickelson had turned it down imo.
I read Shipnicks Phil bio on holiday a few weeks ago, he was of the opinion that Phil needed the LIV money as he had lost a vast amount of his earnings gambling.
McIlroy’s performances have nothing to do with his putting, he’s still capable of missing very makeable putts and still capable of 3 putting from 10 feet as we saw at the BWM a couple of weeks ago.
McIlroy’s performances are down to his improvement with his wedges from 120 yards out. His proximity to the hole from 120 yards up to and including the masters was something like 24 feet - joint worst on tour I believe. Since the masters, he’s averaged 14 feet which has saw him jump to 1st rank in that stat.
His putting has definitely improved as well
His putting stats have improved due to the fact he’s on average more than half the distance closer to the hole than he was before. Of course he’s going to hole more putts now that he’s closer, but I don’t think his actual putting has improved if that makes sense.
Yeah agree but thats part and parcel. hit it closer hole more putts. I also think the LIV tour is actually given him extra motivation! I can definitely see him winning a Major next year even dare I say it 2!
Liv tour could benefit the PGA roster's chances in majors. The Liv guys won't be playing to as high of a standard on a regular basis and have less on the line. I don't know if they'll be battle-hardened when the majors come around. The opposite argument is that Liv guys may be fresher and rested up in advance. Time will tell.
Unless they win their appeal they wont be playing in the Majors, apart from those with exemptions - if they can't earn OGWR points they cant qualify.
I know I'm slightly derailing a Rory thread but how long do you this will all take to play out?
Like 2-5 years something has to give either way. Liv has to shrivel up or get established as a "legit" alternative.
Considering how vocal and the active role Rory is playing in this I don't think it is derailing it at all - this whole saga could define McIllroy's legacy which in a way is very sad.
I don't really know to be honest and I think anyone who claims to is only guessing. The thing about LIV is these people don't generally take no for an answer, are used to getting their own way and have already shown their determination by the sheer volume of money they have invested. The big doubt I would have about their sustainability is the fact that so many of their players are approaching their twilight years and are in decline, how do they continue to attract fresh new blood? Cam Smith was a huge coo but he doesn't seem the smartest cookie in the jar and the reality is they need to attract a few Cam Smith type profiles every year, that will be very difficult.
Young talent is a great point. There's a defined path to making it to the PGA tour albeit without much money along the way. Except for maybe a world-class talent that can make an immediate breakthrough and secure endorsements. If Liv disrupts that pathway and pulls in most of the future mid/low tier pros, it would be very difficult for the PGA tour. How does that then affect feeder tours, US colleges etc if there's a Liv D2/D3/u21 tour?
LIV will always only be one tour for however long it’s going to be around. The whole thing is a “do you want to be in my gang” circus. If they bring in different tiers then it loses any shred of remaining credibility. I can see it sticking around for a few years due to the bottomless pit of money that’s available. If it were a normal business it would be dead already but unless it attracts massive sponsorship and a recognised tv deal then it won’t last forever.
Can we get back to Rory chat please
I don't think he's underrated, he's one of the most successful athletes ever to grace these shores. There are few Irish athletes in any discipline that would ever come close to this level. I would agree that he's seen as a polarizing figure for different reasons - but that would mostly be in Ireland. Anyone with half a brain acknowledges how talented the man is and what he's achieved.
What are the problems that people have with the lad? Is it still the nonsense old argument about the Olympics or is it the "routine Rory bottle-job" line that gets trotted out every so often?
It's the frustration of what he has achieved versus his obvious potential, usually centered around the Majors...
Another question, are people required to like him more because he is Irish?
He'll only be fully appreciated when he's gone and in 20 years when we haven't had anyone else in the top 10 in the world in that time.
Nobody is required to do anything. Some people like him, some don’t.
But this is an Irish forum, so the discussion threads about individual golfers tend to be about Irish golfers. When Rory’s on top form, he’s a joy to watch and I don’t think any other current golfer can provide the same level of excitement.
Unfortunately, our reputation as a nation of begrudgers is not entirely without foundation and this thread can be a prime example of that particular trait from time to time.
There it is again, negative comments equals begrudgery.
We are not required to do anything, but a less than favourable opinion is founded in animus apparently.
Why do you think posters become so emotional when there is comment about poor performance? It seems fairly unique to this thread.
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